Misery's Company
by x Judeh x
Summary: Hermione is having troubles, and Malfoy is making it worse. What is a girl to do?


**Misery's Company **

**By Judith A. Moskalyk.**

Chapter One

_Author's Note: Don't own, don't sue. Yes. This is my disclamer._

Brainiac. Know-it-all. She had been called many names, including Mudblood. A small sigh escaped the lips of the seventh year Gryffindor Head Girl, Hermione Granger, as she walked on the snow covered grounds by herself. She had a problem, but she didn't really know how to tell anyone, especailly her two bests friends, Ron Weasley and Harry Potter, about it. She sighed and kicked some snow into the air feeling completely hopeless at the moment. What could she do. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Ron and Harry were probably off in the Common room playing chess. Oh well. It gave her time to think to herself. Lots of time.

Pausing and leaning back against a tree, Hermione closed her eyes momentarily as she thought to herself. Her classes were alright, but it felt as though she was missingsomething in her life. She just didnt' know anymore. Was her life really worth it? Sure she wanted to stop Voldemort, but as what costs? It was bad enough that she was nearly killed in her fifth year. Harry had to kill Voldemort.. but what about her and Ron? Sure they would support him, but she had to do something else. She just didn't know what yet. Oh well.

Taking her time, Hermione stood up and headed back to the castle, her cheeks rosey from the cold and her now smooth waves that were her hair flecked with snowflakes that seem to pollute the air around her. It was snowing once again. Just in time for Christmas.

Wandering down the corridors, hands deep within his pockets, strands of pale blonde hair framing his pale face. Grey eyes looked about viciously, his arms pressed tightly against his body. Draco Malfoy walked at a brisk pace down the corridor, throwing the doors open to walk outside. His breath immediatley transformed into a cloud of smoke, as he spun on his heel and stepped lightly onto the ground. The snow crunched beneath him, as he let out another breath of air, giving a sigh. He took no notice of the Gryffindor, walking right by her without a word.

The Gryffindor paused, blinking. This was odd. Draco Malfoy had walked right by her and hadn't uttered a single insult towards her. She turned and looked at the Slytherin before she turned shaking her head. It was a nice change for once. She walked away from him, smiling as did so. Okay, so it wasn't going to be that bad. She sighed softly and brushed her hair from her eyes, not bothered by the snow.

Stopping in the snow, he quickly grabbed a handful of snow, and tossed it with all his might at the girl. Spinning back around, he resumed walking, obviously in one of his usual week-long bad moods. He didn't feel like talking to anyone at the moment, but he still bothered to toss know at the Gryffindor. Hermione stumbled forward, the snow hitting her back, as she turned around, sputtering.

"Prat!" She shouted after him, before she pulled out her wand, magicking snow to form snowballs. She cursed them, before sent them flying at the Slytherin, a glare on her face. Okay. So she was wrong about him not noticing her.

Draco let out a loud cry as the snow hit him, propelling him to the ground. Giving a growl, he sat up, and glared at her, his eyes turning into silver streaks. Pushing himself to his feet, he spun around, and stormed off, honestly not in the mood for any more horse play.She stared after him, before she sighed, chasing after him. Big mistake Granger.

"Malfoy." She stated, walking after him, her arms crossed, a frown on her face. "Malfoy, stop." She called after him, trying to catch up to him. Oh hell. What the hell was she doing trying to go after the Slytherin?

Giving a loud, and very angry sigh, he turned away slowly, and crossed his arms across her chest. "...Yes, Granger? What do you want? To give me an IQ test?''

"Bloody hell, Malfoy. Give it a rest." SHe stated, catching up to him. "What in the blazes is wrong with you? Did Parkinson make a move on you again?" She asked scathingly. "Look. Just stand still for a moment before you piss your pants." She stated.

''First off, nothing is the matter, I just don't feel like talking to anyone. Secondly, Pansy has her own partner, and knows if she flirts with me, not only will she get cursed, but smacked over the head by Crabbe. And lastly, why the hell would I piss my pants?'' Hermione rolled her eyes and looked at him.

"Well too put it bluntly, that's how mad you looked. Like you would piss your pants at any moment." She explained. It was a weird muggle term. "Secondly, as Head Girl I have a responsibility over all students, and that includes you. So fess up. What's wrong. "She stated.

He poked her in square in the chest, his eyes narrowing. ''Yes, but I'm Head Boy, so I share the responsibilities with you, for Merlin's sake. So that means I can take care of myself, Granger. I am an adult, unlike you.''

Hermione pushed his hand away and glared at him. "Well sorry for trying to be concerned, Malfoy." She spat, turning and walking away. "It's not healthy to let anger and all that build up." She called over her shoulder as she kept walking. Well that tactic didn't work. Blame Dumbledore for asking her to try to get along with him.

''Well if it explodes one day, I'll let it explode over you!'' Draco yelled out to her. ''At least then you'll know how I'm feeling that particular day!'' Letting out a snort, he crossed his arms over his chest. ''Stupid mudblood...''

She ignored his comment and meerly shook her head, stepping up the steps of the castle. And he claimed he was an adult? Hell. Colin Creevey was more mature then Draco Malfoy would ever be.

Flopping down in the snow, Draco stared at the sky, letting out a heavy sigh. The reason he had been particular moody was because of his father. ''Fucked old man...'' he hissed under his breath.

She turned and sat down on the steps, a frown on her face. This was just great. They had a project that they had to do for Dumbledore due tomorrow and they had to work on it that night. If he was like that, she was willing to just say fuck it and do it all herself, letting herself take all the credit.

Giving a groan, he rolled onto his side, ignoring the chill the snow was giving him. Closing his eyes, he watched Hermione from a distance. After two minutes or so, he pulled himself to his feet, and tottered towards her, his right side wet.

She blinked seeing a figure approach her out of the corner of her eye. She glanced over to him and then stood up, now not in the mood to talk to him. She turned and headed into the school a frown on her face.

''Get your arse back here, Granger!'' Draco called out to her, picking up his pace. He moved into a slow jog, jumping up the steps with a very quick speed, almost landing on his face.

She paused and turned, her arms tight across her chest. What? Now you want to talk? She thought to herself as she headed back out, standing at the top of the stairs. "What do you want, Malfoy?"

''To keep your arse right here, that's what!'' he hissed, pointing to the floor a few feet in front of him. ''We're going to have a busy afternoon ahead of us, and there you go, rushing off like a princess, all high and mighty.''

"I am not high and mighty." She stated, glaring at him. "I was actually going to go work on the project that we have to do. If that's alright with you -your highness-." She retorted scathingly, staying right where she is. "If you don't want to do it, that's fine. I don't want to get in shit for not doing it. So go on. Be all huffy at the world. I don't care anymore."

''Oh, but you do care...'' he whispered, walking slowly towards her, jabbing her in the shoulder with his forefinger. ''You just want to have a single friend in the world, Granger, don't you, that won't leave you. But, aw, you don't have that type of friend.'' Snorting, he pushed past her. ''I'll do it, don't worry. I'm sure you've got to talk to your careless friends of yours.''

She glared after him and then chased after him, grabbing his arm. "Oh no you don't." She stated. "You leave Ron and Harry out of this. This has nothing to do with them." She replied curtly, her finger nails digging into his arm. "We're supposed to do that project together."

Letting out a curse, he tried to pull away unsuccesfully. ''Well... they're the reason you're the way you are. All smart and all, but such a fucking rebel I'm surprised you' haven't been kicked out. Only reason you're still here is because of Saint Potter. If you acted the way you do without him around, you'd be out of here.''

"Is that so, Malfoy?" She asked, looking at him before she released his arm. She was pissed off now. "Do you ever think that maybe I earned to be where I am? Hm? How am I supposed to act? Since your Mr I know All, you tell me."

''You're supposed to be yourself.'' he snarled, prodding her in the forehead. ''And I'll bet my bottom Galleon that if you had your way, you'd be sitting in you common room reading.''

She swatted his hand away. "Yes, and if you had your way, you'd be cursing all wizards and witchs that weren't up to your standards, plus all the muggles." She stated, prodding his chest, hard. "Look Malfoy. We have to work with each other for another seven months. Deal with it." She stated, brushing past him.

''Deal with it?'' He let out a snarl, and pushed her lightly in the back. ''You better deal with me, first, okay? Because you're right, I would curse everyone I could and wanted to, and you'd be at the top of my list.''

She turned back and looked at him. "You don't scare me." She stated, "You never will." She stated, her tone softening slightly.

''I don't want to scare you, Granger. I want to warn you, because as soon as I'm leaving this ruddy school, I'm going to be a Death Eater.'' Draco snorted, and swished away from her.

She blinked and looked at him, before she reached out to grab his arm again, but missed, instead grabbing his hand. "Your an Idiot Malfoy. That's worse then condeming you to death. Be a Death Eater.. you will die."

Snarling, he pulled his hand away, wiping it on his robe. ''What, you think I don't know that? My father wants me to, and if I don't, he'll fucking curse me until I do. So I'm damned if I do, damned if I don't.''

Suddenly she felt bad for him. Instead of trying to talk to him, she turned and hurried away from him, heading to their common room that lead to their own personal dorms.

Letting out a growl, he stormed from where they previously were, hunched over in a manner that only the tip of his forehead was visible.

Once she reached the common room she sighed and went to her bedchambers, needing to change. Good thing it was Christmas Break. She pulled out a pair of jeans and a pale peach jumper before she grabbed her things, going out to work on the project. If he didn't want to, then she'd have to do it all on her own. She curled up on the couch, and started to get to work, a sigh escaping her lips. There was so much to do.

Hermione had gotten as much as she could get done and had set out at least five or six sheets of parchment paper full of her tiny handwriting as she took a quiet nap, a book splayed out in her lap as she rested her head on the back of the couch in the common room, her legs stretched out, crossed at her ankles, her clean white socked feet a good two feet away from the other end of the couch. She remained asleep for the time being, the ink on the parchment drying slowly.

Draco flumped into the library, immediately flumping down in the chair, a sigh escaping his throat. He suddenly felt... exhausted. So very exhausted, feeling as if every bone in his body was about to break. Draco remained in the library well into the afternoon, occasionally flicking through the book _**"1001 Reasons Why You Should Not Apparate into Azkaban"**_, although he didn't seem very interested.

Finally, an hour or so later, Draco walked out of the library, swinging his arms by his sides. He felt quite restless, and it wasn't disappearing by sitting in the library... Perhaps he would patrol the corridors, in pure Draco Malfoy Head Boy-style.

_End of Chapter one_


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